you don't buy tequila, you rent it.

Life always bring about changes in unexpected ways.

I never expected to be 30 years old, living at home, a college graduate, just me and my parents, working at a job that I not only hate but am extremely overqualified for. I think about my brother, 5 years younger than I who is now engaged. How is it that he is so much more "together" in his life than I am? When did this happen?

Well I guess it depends on your definition of "together." I have to keep reminding myself of that. Not everyone who is married or has kids is happy. Not that they regret any choices they've made, just that they're not happy.

I just spent the weekend with my cousin, who after 12(?) years is now divorced. She, obviously, doesn't think the idea is any good at all, and says NO! when anyone mentions wanting to get married.

Can I blame her? Of course not. Especially after the ridiculous array of events that unfolded during her divorce.

Ugghhh. I seem to always be at a crossroads in life. Will I ever be satisfied with my life? It always seems after a year or two, I get the "grass is always greener" effect in my brain. Better in Europe, or Portland, or Texas even. Wherever, whatever. I just wish I could find something I love, where I love to be and just do it. Ya know? Ohhhhhhhh life.

I think I'm going back to school. Might as well rack up some more debt while I'm at it... right?!?

what's an internet?

I'm a natural born traveler. I can't get enough of it. If someone moves to a new place or studys aboroad... I'm buying a plane ticket to visit before they've unpacked their first wine glass.

I am however not a natural born reader. It takes a lot to catch and keep my attention. My bookshelves are filled with purchases of books which at the time seemed like a good idea, but once gotten home, never tempted me to turn the pages.

I do however love to read about travel. Funny stories, anecdotes, tales of adventure, motivation, encouragement, mishaps and inspiration. However there are so many weird kinds of travel books out there. I guess I'm picky about what I like to read, there's definitely got to be some humor involved and some moment or two of revelation. Does this make sense?

I'd like to recommend some of my favorite books to you, dear reader(s?) that have honestly changed my life. Definite top of my bookshelf here, not to miss.


Geography of Bliss, Eric Weiner.


Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert.


A Year in the Merde, Stephen Clarke



The Alchemist, Paolo Coehlo

Now my assignment to you, dear reader(s) is to take a look at my list, and recommend something else for me to read? Equally life changing, or at least entertaining? I'm curious to see what the verdict is...

Thanks! and Happy Friday!!

OH, and P.S. Am I the only one that, upon seeing that a book is on "OPRAH'S Book List" I have no desire to read it?

i drink spirits. does that make me spiritual?

woah woah woah. its 530, and i'm in my pajamas.

I've also had a vicodin and 1/4 of a beer. I should be passed out cold in about 22 minutes. maybe 27. So I better get to cracking.

First on the agenda... hooooly crap i'm addicted to blogging. I love writing mine even though I have maybe 3 readers, give or take. And reading others. I can't get enough of people's thoughts on life, looking at pictures, whatever! Its great! Some people are so funny and great artists! And I must say the ones I read >>> see to your right here >>> are some of my favorites. I love that some of my friends blog and I love reading them too. I just last night found 2 people from high school and have been reading theirs. I have to say, some of my amigos are great writers! love it. Anyway, I just wanted to give props to everyone listed on my page. I think you'll enjoy them as well.

Woah, now i've had half the beer... I'm fading fast...

Secondly on the agenda. I'm really mad that the USA network has fallen in love with NCIS. Seriously. It used to be the Law and Order SVU Network. Just like how TNT is the regular L&O network. Now all I ever get is stupid NCIS. Don't get me wrong, its an alright show. But it ain't no L&O SVU!! *sigh* Oh well, I guess if that's all I have to complain about, life is pretty good right now.

Third on the agenda... I'M SO PISSED!!!
I work at a home improvement store distribution center. Its one of the major ones, so you can do the math, and figure out who I work for. Either way, all day, I lift boxes, move boxes, push, pull, jump up and down, turn around and pick a bail of cotton. Well, all but the last one. Anyway. The point of this is that I use my back ALL DAY. EVERYDAY. So when my back starts bugging me, which is often thanks to a car accident in 1999, I head to the chiropractor. Say what you will about chiropractic medicine, it helps lots of people, myself included. I come to find out today, that my next 11 weeks (the diagnosis from my Dr.) to get me back into tip top shape again will be $2200. OUCH! Right? But thank goodness I have insurance. WRONG.

My stupid employer, expects my back to be at peak performance for them, only pays for FIVE HUNDRED FRICKING DOLLARS, A YEAR! What a crock! Wow, thanks so much. I'm so infuriated with them right now, I think steam is coming out of my ears.

Not only have I had a bout of money related issues lately, but here's ONE MORE THING to pile on my already overflowing plate. Whoopee. So after I cried for 20 minutes I pulled myself together and drifted from hopelessness to anger.

Well, thats enough ranting for me for one day. Ohmmmmmmm.

serenity now serenity now serenity
now serenity now serenity now
serenity now serenity now serenity now
serenity now

Op! its 5:58, pass out time! :)

coat check? yes. but what about the child check?

Kids. Kids? Kids!

Don't get me wrong. I looooove kids! They're fun and annoying and smart and great and ... lots of things! What I don't understand is why must people bring their children E V E RY W H E R E. Yeah yeah I understand, that you don't have a baby sitter, or you can't afford one, or you just don't have the heart to give them up for adoption, or the guts to leave them at the mall all day.

But whyyyy must people bring their kids everywhere?

Families are great. I love mine. I love my friends. But other people's? Strangers? Get those little screaming-crying-rugrats away from me!

Camping two weekends ago, my friend and I (she has a child but didn't bring her) went to the mountains of Washington to get away. A ladies weekend. Fun times with lots of beer, sunshine, campfire and some dirt. Ya know? Quality time. And I understand that lots of people bring their kids camping, its a family activity. But we were literally SURROUNDED by children. There must have been every campsite with at least 2 children, some up to 4 or 5. And all between the ages of 3 and 9. Seemed that all the pubescent children had no desire to hang out in the wilderness with no cell reception.

But we could not get any quiet. No peace. No harmony. It was ridiculous! I know, I'm sort of bitching about something that we really can't do anything about... but can we?

Is it too much to ask for an 'adults only' section of the park? How about sections of a restaurant? Children? or Non? An airplane? Children? or Non?

Wouldn't that be heavenly?

I know, many of you are disagreeing, but I think it would bring a lot of peace and harmony to many adult minds.

I've chosen not to have children at this point in my life. I've mastered the extremely complex and elusive art of birth control. Why should my sanity be punished by others?

Just some food for thought.

serenity now serenity now serenity
now serenity now serenity now serenity now
serenity now serenity now

Dal centro della mia vita venna una grande fontana...

yup its official, I have Shingles.

Now don't jump to conclusions. I, for some reason upon hearing "shingles" think of some God awful thing involving my nether regions. I'm imagining it comes from the phrase "shitting shingles"... but I digress...

Basically I have the adult chicken pox, or Chicken Pox Part Deux, The Revenge as I like to call it.

I'm not contagious if you've had chicken pox already. I have a lovely credit card size cluster of a pox-like-rash that I'm told will eventually open up, ooze and then scab over. How utterly delightful! My side hurts and aches and tingles and sometimes itches, but luckily I have vicodin for that. Whoop!

So for now, I sit here and suffer, not so silently.

i like the word soul. i like the word mate. but soulmate?

i'm seriously behind on my blogging. My apologies. I still need to write about camping last weekend, and now I have more to write about. *sigh* oh well. maybe i'll get around to it, maybe i won't. I also may have shingles. I'll be going to the doctor's tomorrow to hopefully find out what's going on with this rash on my tummy. WHOOP!

anyway, i'm going to share this with you. I read it in a book recently and its given me a lot to think about. I really like it, comforts me in some way, even though losing people who mean so much to you is hard to understand or feel good about.

People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that's holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave.

wanderlust

I'm planning a vacation to Arizona in September. Going to visit a friend, nothing major.

While discussing plans for this trip with my friend, he joked "I may not let you come back!" And I thought... hmmmmm... Stay in Arizona? Why not?!?

Ever since last night that's all I can think about. I'd even have a job hookup upon my arrival. My mind is reeling at the possibility of going somewhere new. We all know that's how I am anyway, a constant wanderer, never satisfied in one place for too long...

Arizona? What do you think?

twouble with twitters

this is what i think of Twitter.
Rubbish!
I have the facebook feed... what else could i ask for?

too much time with my own thoughts

Do you think anyone in China hates America enough to put a bomb in a Lowe's shipping container?

These are the thoughts I have at work. I was sweeping out my trailer and at the back there was a small plastic bag filled with something. Probably garbage, but I wasn't about to pick it up and set off the bomb!! So I left it there for the shipping department to get esploded.

I have too much time alone at work. Time with my thoughts. Yesterday I was talking to boxes. Not talking at them, about my day, the weather, or what I'd rather be doing. No, I was talking TO them...
MOVE!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?
STOP IT!
LET GO!
JUST SLIDE OVERRRR!
YOU'RE SUCH A BITCH!!

I think I just may need professional help. But we all knew that.

Currently singing (since last night when I heard it on the radio):
Whitney Houston's, I wanna dance with somebody

i want chicken... i want liver... meow-mix meow-mix please de-li-ver

okay people, this time i think we've gone TOO FAR!

Appetizers? For cats?!? REALLY??!?!?
Since when do cats need food, before their food?

"Yes Bob, Fluffy has had a rough day and she really needs to unwind before the main course with some White Meat Chicken & Flaked Tuna and a glass of chablis."

Barf. What's really sad is that there are morons out there who are going to buy this. Not even realizing that its just regular cat food in a different package. And now they're gonna feed their cats TWICE and then be confused why their favorite feline is gaining weight.

Where's my appetizer in a can?
Where are my chicken wings? Mozzarella sticks? Bloomin' Onion in a can?
Life can be so unfair.

this old/new-to-me house

Too many beers and an array of power tools. Yesterday was Home Improvement Saturday!!
Attempting to plumb the new refrigerator from the sink across the kitchen under the house, was almost completed. Somehow the back connection keeps leaking so its still a work in progress. We also had to get a new, longer drill bit to go further through the floor. Later we called reinforcements to help with drilling through the tile. There were sparks involved. Kinda cool.

We also started pruning the hedges, but darkness snuck up too fast for us to finish. There were however FOUR completed jobs for the day... mowing the lawn, painting and attaching a new back stop for the bathroom door, spraying the back yard and building a new screen for the living room window. I have to say, I had my doubts that we would get any of it done. Especially the fridge.

Going under the house!

Spiders?

new screen! Success!!

plumbing! Thank goodness for reinforcements!

pruning the hedges... of many small villages!!

Other little gems from this weekend include:

• "Fish with teeth! Fish with teeth! SWIM AWAY! SWIM AWAY!"
• "Marriage is a punishment for shoplifting in some countries."
• "Had to call in reinforcements... Now our reinforcements are calling in reinforcements..."
• "Who needs a man when you have power tools and liquid courage!"
• "That's the cruise ship of rafts! They used whole entire logs!"